Sheriff's deputy donates kidney to fellow officer

Two officers with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) who started off as mentor and student said they now consider themselves brothers after one volunteered and donated his kidney to the other. Deputy Kevin Ay first met Sergeant Darrin Offringa in July 2010, three years before Ay was diagnosed renal failure.

Ay, who spent three months learning how to handle service calls and other training situations under Offringa, was even assigned to his mentor's old beat when Offringa was moved to another unit. Their paths crossed again when after receiving dialysis Ay returned to work as a training officer at Lakewood Station, where Offringa was working the same position, according to the LASD. Offringa was promoted and moved to another station but checked in on Ay's health regularly.

Once the two discovered they were the same blood type, according to the LASD Offringa said that he felt pulled to help Ay and asked to be considered as a donor. While Ay was hesitant to accept, Offringa's family had already pledged their support. According to the LASD, the operation took place Nov. 29, 2016 in a successful four-hour surgery.

"I always considered Darrin as a mentor; now he's my brother," Ay said, according to LASD.